An Alpha and His Cub
by PadfootIsMyHomeDawg
Summary: "In a moment, the eyes had pierced through Harry; he felt his knees weakening in response to his Pack instincts. This man was his Alpha." Harry is not happy with finding an Alpha, even a man who supposedly knew his parents. He's got to get used to Pack life, Remus wants to get to know him more, and then some old Pack like Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew come in to the picture...
1. Chapter 1

**I know, I know… I should really be focused on PD or even New Love, but I'm at a serious blockage on both of them, so I thought I would put up something else that I have been working on for a little while. I only have a couple of chapters done as of now, but this is really more of an experiment for me than anything. I wanted to see if I would be able to write a completely different sort of fic than I normally do – that is, I wanted to see if I would be able to make Harry something else (i.e., a werewolf). See, usually I keep him about the same person, just with different things that would make it more AU. Now I wanted to branch off a bit and see if this would work…**

**Summary: "The man looked up and peered at Harry...in a moment, the eyes had pierced through him, and he felt his knees weakening in response to his pack instincts. This man was his Alpha." Remus is Harry's Alpha, but that doesn't mean that he is happy about it. After all, no one had been there when he was bitten at age five - why should anyone care now? Never mind that he knew his parents…**

**Rated: T (for language and theme)**

**Well, enough of my babbling… Enjoy the story, and if you have any suggestions for this one, PD, or New Love, please let me know!**

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><p>He huffed as he ran from the park, away from the mean kids. What was so wrong with him? Why couldn't he make friends? He just couldn't understand it – he'd never done anything to them – nothing wrong. He didn't think so, anyway…but he was only five, so he wasn't too sure what was right and what was wrong when it came to making friends.<p>

He wasn't too sure where he was going, either, and soon he found himself on the outskirts of a dark forest that he didn't recognize. He'd never been here before, and it was getting late. He looked back at the full moon rising past the sunset, and decided that he didn't care. He didn't want to go back home, so he entered the dark forest.

About an hour later, he was sincerely regretting his decision to venture into the forest. Now he was lost, and frightened. He'd heard strange sounds for what felt like days now – shrieking and screaming in the distance, rustles under the leaves, growling under the bushes. Logically he knew that it was mainly just his imagination, but he was too jittery to focus on that thought for too long. Most of the rustles after all, were rabbits and deer running from between the bushes.

He heard another rustle right next to him and jumped, but then quickly adopted the fiercest scowl he could muster.

"Go away, Mister Rabbit!" he said, but his voice wavered a little at the last part. "You don't scare me! Go eat some carrots, or…" He wasn't quite sure what to say – why was he even scared of a rabbit? So he determinedly turned and walked away.

Suddenly something slammed into him from behind, and he cried out as he was shoved to the ground. He quickly rolled over onto his back and scrambled to get away from whatever it was that had attacked him. He couldn't see it, and his eyes darted around fearfully. He heard a deep rumbling growl, like a rabid dog would make, and leaped to his feet.

"Go away!" he shrieked hysterically, tears spilling freely from his eyes. "Leave me alone!"

Something sharp swiped at his arm from behind, and he cried out as he felt his skin tear and warm liquid flowed down his arm. He began running away from the animal that had attacked him, and he heard large paws pounding on the ground behind him, leaping after him.

Then the animal leapt over his head, and he caught a glimpse of a long, lean body covered in dark brown fur, a long snout, and sharp teeth dripping in drool. The animal landed in front of him and turned to snarl at him, and he didn't even have the presence of mind to be able to identify what kind of animal it was. It did remind him of a wolf though, sort of – but this was the largest man-like wolf he'd ever seen.

He screamed and didn't even turn around, beginning to run backwards away from the animal, unable to take his eyes off the demonic-like eyes and the slavering mouth.

The wolf-like creature seemed to grin at his fear before it suddenly leaped again, knocking the little boy to the ground on his back, paws pressed to keep him down. The wolf threw its head back and howled a long, bone-chilling howl – a howl of triumph. Then the head descended, jaws open, biting with powerful force into the little boy below him.

The boy shrieked a shrill wail of pain and agony as the full moon continued to twinkle innocently down.

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><p><strong>Review?<strong>

**P.S. The updates for this will probably be a bit sporadic, as it's not my main focus right now :/**


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Yay! An update – and so soon! You should feel special - I must like you guys… :-)

...

Remus exhaustedly put one foot in front of the other, and then the other, making his arduous way forward.

_Just a few more steps…_

He wasn't usually so tired, but it was just minutes before the full moon, and he had just glimpsed a cave in which he could transform in. He knew that the wolf would probably find a way out after having transformed, but the cave would muffle the sounds of his screams, at least a little bit. No one was around for miles, but one could never be too careful.

Normally he also had a set place for transforming into his wolf form, but he had been on a mission for the past week that had taken all of his time. That mission was finding his dead best friend's missing son.

He vividly remembered the day that he had gone to see the child again at the home he'd been living in with his Muggle relatives. He had always tried to see him a couple of times each year to make sure that he was alright, but this time he had been delayed for various reasons. It had been two weeks shy of the boy's sixth birthday when he began his watch, but after several days and no sign of Harry, he had gone to the door with some excuse or another, and eventually found out that Harry wasn't there; apparently he had run away from his home several months before, and the Muggles hadn't even bothered to report it. He'd been furious, but overshadowing the fury was the worry over the boy he saw as his own cub. Since then, all of his worries had been over finding the lost boy. Who knew what had happened to him?

He had been making discreet inquiries everywhere he thought of, and it was in the last place he would've expected that he got a lead. He had made some offhand comment to a werewolf acquaintance of his, and had learned that there was a wild boy with vivid green eyes and black hair that sometimes ran with the pack he was in. He hadn't given more information than that, other than that the boy was young, and he always left before anyone could really talk to him when they transformed back.

Of course Remus didn't want to believe that the now ten-year-old was a werewolf, but how many other boys Harry's age had black hair and bright green eyes? The chances were fairly slim that it was just a random boy that ran with his semi-friend's pack.

So he'd begun searching known Dark forests, starting with the ones closest to Little Whinging. Those had been useless, but he kept trying. He'd never been so thankful that he was a werewolf that he would be able to catch Harry's scent if he was close.

But now it was the full moon, and Remus was stumbling into the darkened cave. He wished he could just sleep, but he knew he was going to be exhausted the next day due to being awake the whole night. The wolf inside of him had been pacing restlessly, not allowing him to sleep when he lied down for the past week, but now that he would be actually transformed, it would be worse. The past several moons without Harry, worrying about his cub, had been getting progressively worse, and Moony was getting more aggressive, resulting in more injuries to his body and therefore requiring more time to heal.

He finally entered the cave, making it just into the darkness when he felt the familiar shiver travel from the top of his scalp and down his spine. The transformation was starting.

...

The boy with the tangled, dirty black hair held himself tense as the foreign scent grew closer and closer to his hideout. He crouched with arms extended slightly at his sides, hands curled slightly as though he had claws. He leaned forward slightly, balanced on the balls of his feet, ready to pounce.

He could hear the heavy breathing as the other person continued forward…and came right for the cave! Green eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he held himself still. No reason to immediately think that the visitor was an enemy.

The scent grew stronger, just as a familiar shiver slid from his scalp to the base of his spine.

_No! Not yet!_

He couldn't transform now. He didn't know what was intruding on his hideaway, and whether it needed to be protected. He heard a faint groan of pain from the direction of the mouth of the cave, and he almost groaned in response. The shivering was starting, his bones were aching…

There was nothing for it. He felt the snap of his shoulders, and bit his cheek to keep from crying out as his shoulders hunched inward. His jaw popped, and he threw his head back, letting out a scream as the transformation continued beneath the full moon.

...

Moony could sense it. Another werewolf. The scent was familiar, yet foreign. As the transformation completed, he stretched his neck and flexed his paws. He sniffed the air, trying to smell the direction of the other wolf.

He heard a growl, and his darkened eyes found the source of the noise. A young black wolf stood on all fours, tensed and ready to spring at him, fur standing on end. Immediately the wolf recognized his cub – he'd been gone so long, and now the cub was defiant. He let out a growl in response. He was in charge here. What was his cub thinking in challenging him?

The smaller wolf let out a bark and leaped – Moony dodged to the side and whirled around, eyes flashing at the other wolf as said wolf landed on the ground where he'd been a moment ago and then turned to face Moony again.

_This place mine. _The small wolf snarled.

If a werewolf could laugh, Moony would've. As it was, he let out a short yip. _You **pup**. You challenge **me**?_

**_Mine!_ **The other wolf snarled again, fiercer this time, then leaped at Moony again. They tussled for a few moments before Moony knocked the pup back. The pup whimpered as its backcollided with the hard ground, but he was not to be deterred from the fight. He began to rise, but Moony knocked him back with a large paw and stood on all fours over him, trapping him as he closed his jaw around the cub's throat. His teeth pressed lightly against the small wolf's throat, just firm enough that the cub wouldn't move, panting as he asserted dominance over the younger wolf. If he closed his jaw completely together, he could kill the cub.

The pup squirmed for a moment, as though believing he could escape, but finally went limp under the larger werewolf, yielding to the alpha as a submissive whine escaped his throat. Moony remained for a moment longer, before lightly nipping the cub's furry throat and drawing back.

_Foolish cub, _Moony rumbled, though the way it was said seemed more affectionate than annoyed.

Said cub was now very submissive – he rolled over so his stomach was to the floor, and rested his head on his paws, ears pressed flat against his head as he cast his eyes away from his alpha. He seemed very ashamed now, not looking at the older wolf. Moony sat next to him and licked the top of his cub's head.

_**Ours** now,_ Moony said, and the pup lifted his head a bit tolick Moony's paw in thanks. As though not noticing this, Moony continued to lick his cub's fur clean.

Once he was finished, the cub had fallen into a contented sleep, head rested on his paws and curled in on himself, tail curled over his snout. Moony slipped down behind him, curling his body around his cub as though to keep him warm, despite the warmth of the cave. The pup shifted a little, pressing himself further into the larger werewolf, and then was still, only the rise and fall of his torso showing his rhythmic breaths. Moony let out a snort-like sound and closed his eyes, going to sleep. One ear remained trained upward, in case anything should come to harm his cub. He would be ready to protect.

...

A/N: Love it? Hate it? I don't have anymore written right now, so don't expect this frequent of an update all the time! :-)

Also! Very important: I want to have Harry give himself a new name – that is, he already gave himself a name, but he will state it in the next chapter. Please give me suggestions!

And speaking of reviews, I would like to give a shout out to **just1cause2im3amazing**, for having commented diligently on at least half of my stories, and still going! Everyone's reviews means so much, but it really makes me happy when one person is so interested in so many of my works! Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

**Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the United States! Also, I drew a picture (and put on Tumblr) that would go along with this chapter - I have the same username on there as I do on here, so please go check it out!**

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><p>When the normally very dirty boy regained consciousness after the transformation back to his human form, he noticed that he was quite a bit cleaner than normal. This was unusual – generally he was much dirtier after a full moon, due to running and rolling around in the forest. He didn't have any major wounds this time, either. Only the aching in his bones and his joints attested to the fact that he had, indeed, changed into his wolf form last night.<p>

He finally looked up from himself when he heard a groan – a very _human_ groan – coming from just a few feet away. Harry saw an older man, as naked as himself, just beginning to sit up as he regained consciousness, holding a palm to his obviously pounding head. He was perhaps thirty or so, and had scars criss-crossing the entire expanse of his body. Instantly the smell that had been assaulting his nose since he woke up registered – _werewolf_.

In a flash, he was standing over the older man, suspicious at once. What was another werewolf doing around _him_?

The man looked up at the sound of Harry standing over him, and peered at Harry through squinted, pained eyes. In a moment, the eyes had pierced through Harry, and the boy felt his knees weakening in response to his pack instincts. This man was Alpha – he was to obey him, he knew.

A moment later, anger coursed through him. He had thought for so long that he was special, that even though that – that _beast_ – had bit him, that he would never have to belong to an Alpha, that it was something in his genetic make-up that prevented it. And now this man came, and in one night he was his. He had thought he was safe.

Apparently that wasn't the case.

With a growl in his throat, he crouched down so that he was at eye-level with the other werewolf.

"Who are you?" he said threateningly, though he knew that with this werewolf as Alpha, he would never be able to really hurt him. Not unless it was to kill him to become Alpha himself.

The man was only staring at him – gaping, really. Harry could practically taste the shock rolling off of the scarred man.

"I said, _who – __**are**__ – you_?" he said, hoping his voice came out as menacing.

The man visibly swallowed, as though his throat was very dry. Then he croaked, "I'm – Remus. Or Moony."

The black-haired boy sneered. "Well, _Remus_," he said, "What gave you _any_ right to change with me last night and claim Alpha over me?!"

Remus' eyes widened in shock - or, more shock, anyway - while his eyes darted from the child's face, to his elbows, to his knees. Gaze shooting back up to look Harry in the eyes, he said, "How did this happen?"

The boy scowled. "You tell _me_," he bit out. "You're the one coming into _my_ territory here."

Remus shook his head, a cross between confusion and despair. "No," he croaked. "I meant - how did you become a werewolf? Who bit you?"

Harry hissed out in fury. "You may be my Alpha now," he said harshly (though knowing that he was skating on thin ice), "But we're not _friends_, and I'm not obligated to tell you _anything_."

Remus looked as though he'd aged several years in a moment. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, sadly. "I didn't mean..." He sighed. "How about we start over? My name's Remus. I've been looking for you for years now."

The boy's scowl deepened and his glare narrowed further. "Yeah, _thanks_ for that," he said sarcastically. "Clearly you knew I was without an Alpha. So, where's the rest of your _pack_?" He said the last word with disgust. "Why can't you just be happy with _them_?"

Remus blinked and sadness shrouded his features. After a couple of swallows, he said, "My pack has gone on. Your dad was one of them."

For the first time, the green-eyed boy's bitterness lifted, leaving only stunned shock behind. "My dad was a werewolf?" He said uncertainly, in a way that was much more akin to the ten-year-old child that he was.

"No, he wasn't a werewolf," Remus assured the boy. "He was an Animagus - he could change into a stag. We called him 'Prongs'."

"Who's 'we'?" Harry asked, losing his confrontational stance. "Were the rest of your pack werewolves, or animals like my dad?"

Remus shook his head, relieved that Harry was calming but also feeling sad and angry and betrayed at the loss of his friends in different ways so many years before.

"No, there was also a rat and a dog," he said simply, not caring to elaborate on who, exactly, they were. "And later when your mother married James, she essentially joined the pack as well, though she didn't spend full moons with us. When you were born, my wolf saw _you_ as part of the pack as well."

The frown began to make a comeback on Harry's face. "So that's why no other Alpha could claim me before? Because another Alpha already _had_?"

It wasn't really a question, but Remus nodded anyway. "I assume so," he said simply.

Harry's frown deepened into the scowl that was quickly becoming familiar to Remus. "So if you've been my Alpha since I was born, why did I have to go to the _Dursleys_'?"

Remus heard the betrayal in the boy's voice and could understand what he was trying to convey. He quickly tried to assure him.

"You have to understand, Harry - "

But he was swiftly cut off by the furious ten-year-old. "My name is _not_ Harry," he snarled, some of his wolf coming to the surface. "Harry is the name of the kid I was _before_, so don't you _dare_ try and use it on me!"

Remus blinked in astonishment but quickly pressed on. "Forgive me, cub. It is merely the name I have always known you as. What do you prefer to be called?"

Harry tossed his head in what could've been pride. "I'm known as Itzal among the wolf packs. I've always been on my own, and the rest of the packs only see bits of me at a time - that's why 'Shadow' is so perfect." He gave Remus a sharp glance. "Until _you_ came along, I could never really be identified out of my wolf form."

"Alright, Itzal," Remus said calmly, hoping that his compliance would calm the boy down. "The reason I couldn't take you instead of the Dursleys is _because_ I'm a werewolf. The Ministry of Magic - that's like the wizard's..."

"I _know_ what the Ministry of Magic is," Harry interrupted.

Remus nodded, appearing outwardly unfazed but inwardly wondering what sort of life the boy had lived. "Right. There are laws at the Ministry that prevent werewolves from adopting children, so it was completely out of my hands. I would've visited you - or, let you see me visiting you, for I went to see how you were doing many times without your knowing - but Dumbledore had put up all sorts of protection wards on Privet Drive that prevent trespassers. Being a werewolf, and therefore considered a Dark creature, we thought that my entering the wards would perhaps weaken them and allow others inside as well - others who wished you harm. If it had been at all possible, I would've taken you in a heartbeat."

Harry's stance was significantly calmer and less confrontational after this explanation. "Alright," he said grudgingly, finally sitting down, across from his Alpha. "I still think you should've done _something_, but at least you came searching _now_."

Remus' expression was one of enormous relief. "I swear to you, that even though I'm Alpha, I have no intention of being your dictator. All I want to do is get to know you again, and help you, and be a part of your life."

Harry's gaze narrowed, but it was more wary than it was angry. "How am I supposed to trust you? You left me once." _You could do it again_ was unspoken but clearly understood by the Alpha.

Said Alpha winced in guilt and pain at the boy's words. But there was no denying them. "I suppose we'll have to build up trust," Remus finally answered. "But I'll try – I only ask that you give me a chance."

"Fine," Harry bit out. But he didn't seem as angry as before. "But you better be _damn_ well sure you don't screw it up again."

The part that was Remus felt guilt and sadness at the harshly said parameters that were set. But the part that was Moony – still close to the surface after the full moon – saw the way it was demanded rather than requested as defiance from the pup. How _dare_ his cub treat him this way?! What right did he have to act like _he_ was the boss?!

The amber eyes darkened to a deep gold as he looked on at the cub, who was sitting before him with what he must've thought was a ferocious scowl, but in the wolf's eyes, just made him look like he was pouting.

Harry knew, even as he spoke the words, that he'd crossed the line between man and wolf. He had seen enough chastisements in the packs he'd run with to know what sort of "scoldings" they got. Oh, they didn't break bones or anything brutal like that, but Harry was in no mood to get in a tussle with the stronger wolf where he couldn't fight back – where fighting back would almost _certainly_ mean pain.

So, right after he'd said the words, he bowed his head instinctively, before he even fully realized what he was doing. The back of his neck was bared to the dominant wolf, vulnerable in a show of submission, while a canine whimper of apology slid past his lips. It was a show that said he was willing to take whatever punishment the Alpha would mete out, though a pup's acknowledgment of his wrongdoing typically had the effect of calming the stronger wolf.

There was a brief pause as Harry waited, heart pounding with a guilt the human part of him didn't want to feel, and then he felt a light cuff to the side of his head in punishment - not painful at all, really - before fingernails soothingly raked through his hair, clearly in forgiveness. For a moment, Harry's newfound pack instincts completely took over and he turned his head to nip lightly at the fingers. With the end of the Alpha's middle finger still caught playfully between the cub's front teeth, the cub turned his eyes to gaze into the Alpha's. The pup's eyes were trusting; the older wolf's were soft with amusement.

Then Harry's brain returned to him, and he pulled away from the older man, who was also blinking as though coming back to himself. The boy blushed in equal parts anger and embarrassment, and then without a word, jumped to his feet and ran out of the cave.

Remus watched him go sadly, knowing that the child needed some time alone for a bit.

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><p><strong>It would make me ever so happy if you REVIEWED!<strong>


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